Floridian Fun!

We had a fantastic week visiting Nonna and G-Pa in Florida! It was so much fun and we of course were (and still are) so sad we had to leave. We stayed busy the entire time despite having two little ones and battling temperatures in the 90s with a heat index above 100! We have so many great photos from our trip (and great tans, too!)

One of our first evenings in Naples, N&G brought us to the pier to walk on the beach. It was beautiful!

Adriana's first visit to the beach.

We went after the girls baths so they were in their pajamas. Gabby wore her favorite Ariel one from The Little Mermaid. How appropriate!

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The next morning we brought the girls to the beach to play in the Gulf and the sand. They both loved it! Gabby kept saying the water was "spicy" rather than "salty!" It was so cute! Since then, she has corrected herself so she will no longer say it. Out of the mouth of babes!

Happy girl!

Adriana's first feel of the Gulf. She really enjoyed it. The water was very clear and warm. It's not rough like the Atlantic Coast so it was perfect for the girls to enjoy. This picture didn't turn out as well because the camera was on an improper setting. But, you can still see her tiny feet in the water.

Beach bums!

We spent lots of time at N&G's swimming pool at their house. They have a beautiful home and pool right on the golf course.

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We spent one morning at the Zoo. It was very warm but so fun! The Zoo's summer theme is Dr. Seuss so there were several statues and sculptures of the Dr. Seuss characters throughout the zoo grounds. We love Dr. Seuss so this made the trip even more enjoyable.

Alligator feeding time. We watched a short show on alligators and watched them swim and feed on the beach. Pretty cool.

Gabriella with Horton.

Feeding the ducks and birds.

With Sam I Am and his Green Eggs and Ham!

Taking a stroll with G-Pa.

Nonna's favorite Dr. Seuss story is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She has taught Gabby to love it, too, so they of course had their picture taken with the Grinch. Gabby requests to watch this movie year-round.

Bear cooling off in his pool.

Daddy played a few holes on the course in the evenings.

David with his girls on Father's Day!

Adriana relaxing on a raft in N&G's pool. Can you see the humidity in this photo? This was after a late afternoon rain.

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We spent our last two mornings at a water park. It was a blast! The girls loved it and we will be sure to go back when we visit again. It has several different pools and things to do for all ages.

Swinging in the water.

Gabriella's favorite - the fish slide.

Gabby jumped off a diving board for the first time at the water park. In order for someone her age and size to jump off she had to be able to swim to the ladder by herself. She had no problem with that task so after two visits to the park, she jumped off it at least 10 times. She has no fear when it comes to water. Swim lesson for the last two years have paid off for sure.

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She is thinking, "It's hot but I am happy!"

Having a blast!

Thanks Nonna & G-Pa for a wonderful 7 days in Florida! We had a great time, especially being able to spend time with both of you. We can't wait to visit again. We miss you and love you!

Soccer and Smiles

Gabriella had her first day of soccer camp last week and she loved it! The camp is 1 day a week for about an hour for 6 weeks. She is excited to go again this week so she can kick the ball around and have fun with the other kids. Below are a few pictures from her first day.

Doesn't she look like such a big girl? Time sure does fly by!

Kicking the ball in the goal! Score! (Gabby is on the far left wearing the yellow jersey).

Adriana watching Big Sis play soccer. It was a windy evening - check out that hair!!

Look at this big girl! She is sitting up, rolling around and scooting everywhere!

These blocks entertain her for quite some time.

Fun in the Sun!

We had a fun long weekend as a family. We spent Memorial Day weekend outdoors for the most part enjoying the great weather, while remembering all of the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country. Thank you for all you do!

On Thursday, Gabriella had her last day of preschool. This is a picture of her with Adriana before Daddy brought her to school for the last time this semester. Gabby will definitely miss her teachers and friends but we plan to have a fun and active summer!

Although Nonna and G-Pa moved to their new home in Florida a few weeks ago, their house in town continues to be on the market. Their pool is open and we decided to spend a few afternoons there enjoying the warm and sunny weather. We sure miss them and wish we could be with them, but we are definitely excited to visit Florida in a few weeks!

Adriana is getting so big. Tomorrow (June 2) she will be 8 months old! She is sitting up unassisted all the time, she now has TWO teeth and is interested in crawling but she's not there yet. She is very vocal - babbling and making fun sounds.

Mommy with her girls.

Playing catch with her Dad.

New Photos of Our Family

Last month we had Gabriella's 3 year old photos, Adriana's 6 months photos as well as family pictures taken by a very talented photographer Jen Salmans. She did a wonderful job! Below is just a small sample of the several images she captured. You will also notice new photos of the girls and our family on the right column of our blog.

Mother's Day and other fun happenings

Happy Mother's Day! It's so nice to have a day set aside to enjoy my children and family. Each year I find that I appreciate my own mom even more than I did the year before.

This year was extra special because it was my first Mother's Day with Adriana. Now that I have two little ones, life has definitely become more fulfilling (and hectic ), but I wouldn't want it any other way. I feel my purpose in life has now become more apparent than ever. Motherhood has and continues to change my life everyday and I am forever grateful.

I had a relaxing and fun day with my family - the perfect way to celebrate!

This is Gabriella's beautiful Mother's Day gift for me that she made at preschool. We were asked to bring in a pair of Gabby's baby shoes or booties about a month ago but that's all we knew about the Mother's Day surprise. The gift includes a plant in a pot decorated by Gabby along with her baby shoes bronzed. The flower petals on the card were made with her fingerprints and inside is a touching message and Gabriella's signature (with the help of her teacher). The gift also included her footprint. This just melts my heart and reminds me just how quickly she has grown up. This is such a special Mother's Day gift.

Later in the afternoon we went over to Nonna & G-Pa's to celebrate Mother's Day and Uncle Tommy's birthday. His actual birthday is tomorrow (May 10th). Today Gabby and Adriana wore their ladybug dresses and Converse ladybug shoes that N & G got them for Easter. At this particular moment, Gabby is sporting a new pair of dress-up shoes Uncle Tommy and Aunt Danielle surprised her with today.

For the past 4 years, we have taken a picture of three generations on Mother's Day. This year we had a new addition - ADRIANA!

Close-up of the darling Converse shoes!

Happy Birthday Uncle Tommy! (aka Unc!)

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On Saturday, we went over to the nearby high school's stadium and track facility to play and run. We walked and ran with the girls around the track and afterward Gabby kicked around the soccer ball on the field with Daddy. She is really interested in soccer and is pretty good at dribbling.

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On Friday we met our friends The Wrights at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park. We had a great time! Despite the chilly temperatures (it felt like a fall day), Jaxon and Gabby enjoyed themselves and our picnic afterward.

Watching the cows.

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On Tuesday Nana came to town to visit with us for the day. She enjoyed playing with the girls both inside the house and outside (it was a beautiful day).

Nana opening her Mother's Day and birthday presents (with Gabby's help). Happy Birthday, Nana! (Her actual birthday is May 14th.)

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Below are some photos of the girls from last weekend. Adriana has started to feed herself some foods and now enjoys teething biscuits. Her first tooth finally broke through her gums and others are on their way! Adriana turned seven months on May 2nd.

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Gabby loves playing with blocks!